Eighteen-year-old Robert Sturm has been a scout most of his life.
He became a Tiger Scout when he was 5 and has been involved in scouting ever since.
He’s also attended First United Methodist Church of Land O’ Lakes since he was quite young, too.
(Courtesy of the Sturm family)
In fact, the church formed his first scout packs and troops.
So, when it came time to choose an Eagle Scout project, an important part of qualifying for the highest rank in the Boy Scouts of America, it was pretty easy to decide to combine the two together.
“I’ve been going there my whole life,” Sturm said about the church. “And they support our troop, too, so it’s nice to be able to give back to them.”
With help from around a dozen people, Sturm managed a project to create a gazebo for the church, located at 6209 Land O’ Lakes Blvd.
The idea was to create a place where church members and their families can enjoy the comforts of a covered outdoor area.
After a few months of work, the gazebo was finished last summer, and Sturm became an Eagle Scout later that year. His Eagle Court of Honor was held at the church.
Taking the lead on that kind of project takes more than just pointing fingers and sketching out plans.
First, Sturm contacted the church trustees and worked with them on what they’d like to have.
Once they decided on a gazebo structure, there was the issue of money: Building a quality, outside structure that can survive the elements isn’t cheap. Sturm had to raise around $1,300 to make it happen, and traditional fundraising methods weren’t going to raise a lot of money quickly.
So instead, he started buying and selling used items to make a quick profit.
So, he and his friends began hitting up garage sales, looking for good deals.
“After we bought stuff at garage sales pretty cheap, we could turn it around and make money off that.”
A good day of searching could result in some pretty good bargains: A two-dollar investment in a tent turned into $60.
At the end of one garage sale, someone gave him and a friend a T-shirt press for free. His cut of the resulting sale netted $200 toward his project.
After few months of getting up at 7 a.m., to go bargain hunting for tools, video games and whatever else he could find, he had the money necessary to build the gazebo.
Now that the project is finished, when he comes home for a visit from his classes at the University of Central Florida, Sturm can see his and his helpers’ handiwork.
As he looks at the completed gazebo, he’s reminded of the hard work and challenges he faced along the way.
The paving was especially difficult, he recalled, because the gazebo had to have a level and strong foundation.
With its paver-stone floor, tin roof and wooden construction, the gazebo was built to last well into the future.
So, in addition to recalling the challenges, Sturm feels the sense of pride that comes from knowing that he’s created something for his church that enhances the property and helps people enjoy their time there.
The church is happy, too, not only to have something new and useful, but to know it came courtesy of a longtime member.
“I’ve been at the church for 22 years, but on staff for 10. I remember Robbie before he was born,” joked Bob Swan, facilities manager at First UMC of Land O’ Lakes.
The church gets occasional Eagle Scout project requests, and wasn’t surprised that Sturm wanted to give back.
The gazebo is getting good use, Swan added. It serves as a meeting place on Sunday mornings and throughout the week. And, the church is still finding more uses for it as time goes on.
Now that the work is completed, Swan is impressed by the quality of the work.
“I think it went real well. He had a good plan,” Swan said, adding that Sturm had some capable advisors and helpers along the way.
“It came out as it was planned,” Swan said.
Sturm might not have planned to gain experience for college out of the project, but he’s finding the lessons he learned building the gazebo are serving him in higher education, too.
The fundraising experience has proved valuable, as he learns about marketing, the college freshman said. Organizing a group project and getting everyone focused on the same goal also has everyday applications in the world of business, he said.
Beyond those practical benefits of the experience, Sturm said there’s a feeling of satisfaction that comes from creating something worthwhile.
“It feels really good to actually have a finished project and have people be able to go sit in it and use it,” he said.
February 25, 2015
